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Making a Successful Public Appearance on a Budget

Budgeting for a trade show or event can sometimes be rather difficult. The costs shouldn’t be underestimated either. Between paying for your stand space and renting out a booth, you’re going to end up paying a considerable amount of money and not every company can claim that it’s going to make them profits in the long-term. However, the most important factor when it comes to creating a successful trade show booth or public appearance is exposure. There’s no such thing as good or bad exposure, but there’s always going to be a preference for good exposure. You could do something ridiculous such as running around with a ridiculous sign or trying to cause a controversy, but the best way to expose your business is to plan your event smartly. You could always use a service like TKL Events to help you, but it’s a good idea to get a solid understanding of what actually converts visitors into customers at your trade show appearance.Build Attention On Social Media Stop focusing your resources on trying to build interest at the event and instead, build up interest on social media such as Facebook or Twitter. The reason for doing this is because you want to create an air of exclusivity around your event. You’re making your first appearance and you’re going to be showing something that you’ve been working hard on for the past few months, so build up excitement around it instead of leaving it to be discovered. If you want to be discovered by the media, then you need to be aggressive with your marketing. Don’t sit around and hope for people to come, get in their faces with your promotional material and let them know you exist. The more attention you spread on social media, the more people will hear about your brand, product or service and come visit your booth instead of stumbling into you. It’s far cheaper than spending money on trying to attract customers at the event, and it’s far more effective as well. Engage People & Network It doesn’t take much to speak to someone and build connections. It’s good to remember that you’re not attending an event purely because of your product, but also because you want to build connections with other businesses, investors and even the customers. Make sure you remember names, take down notes, receive business cards and keep a mental note of everyone you meet—even the competition. Don’t neglect the importance of networking, especially because it doesn’t cost you money to open your mouth and speak. Practice your social skills and get comfortable around other people, especially the media. Bring Your Product No Matter What People want to see the state that your product is in, so don’t leave it in your office because it’s “not done”. Push out a prototype or a sample and make sure it works so you can bring it to your public appearance. Without something to show, you may as well have come to the event as an attendee and not a company that is operating a booth. Don't ever miss an opportunity to separate yourself from the competition and promote your product. Now get out there and make an impact!